Video production appeals to creative professionals who want to turn ideas into stories people can see and feel. But is video production a good career once you look beyond the exciting shoots and finished reels? It can be, especially if you enjoy combining creativity with technical skills, teamwork, and problem-solving. Building those skills early through hands-on training, like our Film & Video Production program, can help you start creating the portfolio and practical experience that employers want to see.
What You Should Know Before You Start
What should shape your decision more than the paycheck?
- Your fit for this field comes down to more than a love of cameras or editing software.
- Success depends more on handling unpredictable schedules and self-direction than on which career path or job title you start with.
- People who stay in the field long-term treat every project as a chance to build their network, not just a paycheck.
- Steady hours matter more than creative variety to some people, and a related media role might suit them better than freelance production.
Do you need to live in a major market like Los Angeles or New York?
- Not necessarily. Corporate teams, healthcare systems, schools, and marketing agencies need video content in almost every city.
- Major markets bring more competition, but also more big-budget productions and specialized crews.
- Many camera operators and editors build steady careers close to home shooting corporate, event, and local business video.
What do people underestimate most before entering this field?
- Most of the work happens before and after the camera rolls, in planning and editing, not the shoot itself.
- Income can shift quickly if you freelance, since pay depends on your client pipeline rather than a fixed salary.
- Shoot days can be physically demanding, from carrying gear to standing for hours waiting for the right shot.
Table of Contents
- What Video Production Actually Looks Like
- What Does a Video Producer Do?
- What Does a Videographer Do?
- Different Jobs in Video Production You Could Step Into
- Video Production Career Growth: What the Numbers Show
- What It Takes to Succeed Behind the Camera
- Why BeOnAir
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Video Production Actually Looks Like
Video production usually happens in three stages: pre-production, production, and post-production.
- Pre-production is the planning stage. This is where teams work on the concept, script, schedule, budget, and shot list before filming starts.
- Production is when the cameras roll. It could involve filming an interview, a commercial, a documentary, an event, or other video content.
- Post-production is where the footage comes together through editing, sound, color, graphics, and final delivery.
Understanding the video production process helps you see where your own interests might fit. You may be more drawn to planning, working behind the camera, directing talent, or shaping the story in the edit, and you do not need to master every part at once.
What Does a Video Producer Do?
A video producer manages the entire production process from planning through delivery. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a video producer typically handles:
- Choosing the scripts, topics, or concepts that shape a project’s creative vision
- Hiring the director and building out the rest of the production team
- Setting and approving the budget, including any changes
- Overseeing production and the video editing process, including rough cuts
- Promoting the final product through screenings, advertising, or industry events
On smaller video projects, one producer might also write, shoot, and edit. On larger productions, an executive producer oversees the entire project, a line producer runs daily operations, and producers often work with casting directors to fill on-camera roles.
If leading a project from idea to delivery appeals to you more than being behind the lens, working as a video producer might be your path. Our breakdown of what a film director does covers how the producer role compares with directing.
What Does a Videographer Do?
A videographer shoots and often edits video content, typically for corporate clients, events, or personal projects like weddings and music videos. On a typical shoot, a videographer’s work includes:
- Shooting and recording footage, from interviews to live broadcasts
- Choosing video production equipment like video cameras, lighting, and audio gear such as a boom microphone or radio and clip microphones
- Working closely with a director to match each shot to the director’s vision
- Adjusting camera focus and camera angles to keep footage sharp and well framed
- Organizing raw footage with video editing software once filming wraps
Camera operators who work in a fixed studio setting are called studio camera operators, while those who shoot movies or narrative work are often called cinematographers. Freelance videographers commonly run their own business and handle their own contracts. High-quality footage is the goal every time, since it becomes part of the final product. Learning about the range of camera types used across these roles gives you a clearer sense of where your interests fit.
Different Jobs in Video Production You Could Step Into
Video production includes far more than operating a camera. There are roles for people who enjoy planning, filming, editing, organizing, and managing the technical side of a production.
Common entry points include:
- Production assistant: Helps keep a shoot organized, whether that means supporting scheduling and paperwork in the office or handling on-set logistics.
- Camera operator or videographer: Films interviews, events, broadcasts, or independent projects and may begin by assisting more experienced camera crews.
- Film and video editor: Takes raw footage and shapes it into the finished story.
- Assistant editor: Organizes footage, files, and project assets to enable the lead editor to work efficiently.
- Producer or director: Guides the creative direction, planning, people, and business side of a project.
- Casting director: Helps find and select the right on-camera talent.
- Location manager: Finds, secures, and manages filming locations.
- Technical director: Oversees switching, playback systems, and other technical elements during live productions or broadcasts.
- Broadcast, sound, and video technician: Sets up, operates, and maintains the equipment used during production.
You do not have to choose your final role straight away. Many people start in production assistant or camera assistant positions, then specialize once they discover whether they prefer filming, editing, directing, producing, or another part of the process.
Our guide to jobs in broadcasting and media shows how these roles connect to the wider media industry.
Video Production Career Growth: What the Numbers Show
Pay in video production varies by role, but the latest figures show solid earning potential across several career paths.
- Film and video editors: $75,420 median annual wage
- Camera operators: $74,990 median annual wage
- Producers and directors: $90,360 median annual wage
- Broadcast, sound, and video technicians: $60,150 median annual wage
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for editors and camera operators is projected to grow 3% from 2025 to 2035, while producer and director roles are projected to grow 4%. Our guide to the highest-paying jobs in film production looks more closely at where the strongest earning opportunities are.
Freelance work is also common, especially for editors and camera operators, so building a strong portfolio, promoting your work, and staying up to date with new cameras, editing software, and production technology can make a real difference. You can explore more about how film career opportunities are evolving.
What It Takes to Succeed Behind the Camera
Video production allows for creative expression and the transformation of ideas into visual art, but the creative process and technical execution are both key to doing it well. Technical skill and technical proficiency get you in the door, but a few other qualities separate people who build lasting careers from those who burn out early.
- Communication, an essential part of the job since you will work closely with directors, clients, and crew members
- Attention to detail, especially in editing, where small creative decisions affect the final product
- Physical stamina, since shoot days often mean long hours, heavy equipment, and standing for extended stretches
- A clear idea of your creative direction, whether editing, visual effects, or content creator work across various platforms
- A habit of building your portfolio, technical expertise, and professional network with every project, not only when you are job hunting
These are the same qualities we build into hands-on training, so you develop habits that carry a career, even when time constraints or technical issues come up.
Why BeOnAir
We built BeOnAir in 1986 on a simple idea: working professionals make the best teachers. That promise, “Learn from a Pro to Be a Pro,” still shapes how we run our seven campuses across Illinois, Ohio, Colorado, and Florida.
Our Film & Video Production program moves quickly, helping you build a professional portfolio in about 32 weeks through hands-on work rather than lecture-heavy classes.
You will train on professional cameras and editing software and graduate with real experience to show employers or clients. Our Locations page can help you find the campus closest to you.
Ready to Start Your Video Production Career?
You do not need every answer before you start, just a place to build real skills and a network. Our Film & Video Production program gives you hands-on experience from week one, so you leave with a portfolio, not just what you learned.
Apply now to lock in your seat, or explore the program to see what a semester actually looks like.
Frequently Asked Questions
What career paths pay the best in video production?
Pay depends on your career path and job title. Producers and directors earn more on average than editors and camera operators, and many people also take on freelance projects for extra income.
Do you need a bachelor’s degree to work in video production?
Many employers hiring editors, camera operators, and producers look for a bachelor’s degree, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Entry-level roles like production assistant often value hands-on experience and a portfolio just as much, which focused training can help you build.
Is content creator work considered digital filmmaking?
Not exactly, though the two overlap. Content creator work often involves quick videos for a single platform, while digital filmmaking follows a fuller video production process, from planning through editing.
What is the difference between a video producer and a videographer?
A producer manages the business and logistics of a project, including budgeting, hiring, and scheduling, while a videographer is the person behind the camera capturing the footage. On smaller projects, one person sometimes handles both roles.
How do camera operators and crew members like a location manager work together on set?
Camera operators work closely with a location manager, the sound department, and other crew members to keep the day on schedule. That collaboration comes with real physical demands, since shoot days often mean carrying heavy equipment and standing for long periods.
What does an assistant editor do before becoming a lead editor?
An assistant editor organizes raw footage and often assembles rough cuts before handing them to the lead editor. Strong technical skills and reliability both matter, since this is one of the most common ways people work up to a lead editing role.
How do you start a career in video production, including specialties like music videos?
Start by building a small portfolio, even with projects for friends or your own passion projects. A compelling music video can help an artist build a fanbase and promote a song across multiple platforms, which is part of why independent artists and small record labels keep hiring for this kind of work, often to newer videographers building a reel.